This Had to be Done: ‘Cocomels’ Vegan Hanukkah Sufganiyot (& A Recipe by Mayim Bialik)!

It’s that time of year! Sometimes there is a moment in your life when you have to just let it go. Hanukkah is that time, and this is your moment. EarthKosher is proud to provide Kosher certification and Vegan Verified certification to JJ’S SWEETS Cocomels, THE ORIGINAL COCONUT MILK CARAMELS. Let’s be honest, these are the most amazing caramels you will ever have in your life, and they are not just Kosher certified! Cocomels are organic, dairy free, gluten free, non-GMO and Vegan.

About JJ’S SWEETS

We are a candy company dedicated to new ideas in the world of treats. We draw from the past but are influenced by our desire to see candy evolve into tasty indulgences that inspire the spirit, support our bodies, and are sustainable for the environment.The idea for this company came to me in a dream I had one night. In the dream I saw new candies being created by a kooky Willy Wonka-ish candy man. He was making Ginseng hard candies and other treats that not only delivered in the realm of immediate gratification, but also were healthier for our bodies and contained some functional benefits. They were also unique in their flavors, drawing on old recipes but infused with a modern adventurousness.After months of sitting on this idea I decided to begin experimenting in October 2009. From my first batch (an early version of the Lemon Study Buddy with Ginkgo and Rosemary), I had very positive reviews; and when I created the first Cocomel, it was all over. JJ’s Sweets was born! We would make delicious candies out of natural ingredients that were friendly to people with allergies.Today, one year later, JJ’s Sweets are sold in over 100 retail establishments across Colorado, California, other select national locations, and on our website. We are a small team of dedicated employees: JJ, Chief Candyman and founder, leads the team while Marjorie and Gloria help crank out the goodness.Every Cocomel or piece of Unique Hard Candy is a mix of divine inspiration, creativity, love, attention to detail and hard work. We feel lucky to find ourselves in the admirable position of offering to the world little bits of edible joy. We take pride in our products and stand behind what we do. Please contact us with any feedback you might have. We’d love to hear what you think and look forward to building our relationships into the future.Please enjoy, and remember, “Life is Sweet!”

Now, let’s talk about Sufganiyot. We can call them filled doughnuts, jelly doughnuts, or as some crazy Canadians like to call them, jam busters. No matter what we call them, they are one of the delicious parts of Hanukkah, and it is highly recommend that you switch it up, skip the jam and add some of that Cocomels sweet goodness into your holiday! Here are some suggestions from the JJ’S SWEETS Cocomel website on how you can use the caramels to make a sauce for the sufganiyah filling, or any other delicious holiday treat you can think of:

Cooking your Cocomels in a liquid (like canned coconut milk, water or something fun like chai tea, coffee, etc…). To do this, use about 1/4 of liquid per 1/2 pound of Cocomels, dissolve the Cocomels into it, stirring the whole time, and cook the resulting sauce to a temperature (as shown by a candy thermometer) that matches the consistency you want. (see this post for some more insight into melting Cocomels into a liquid – How to make Cocomel apples)220-230 F for a sauce230-240 F for a loose and saucy caramel (could be good for baking)240-250 F a chewy caramel250 F and up, a more brittle caramelOne note: be careful of Cocomel that sits on the bottom of a dish as that can burn during baking.Let us know how it goes, we’d love to hear how your creations turn out. our Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/pages/JJs-Sweets-Cocomels/113670015319870

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The Big Bang Theory‘s Mayim Bialik is spreading vegan cheer this holiday season with a traditional Hanukkah delicacy: vegan sufganiyot, or vegan jelly doughnuts. Wow your friends and family with this cruelty-free dessert at your Hanukkah celebration or at any holiday get-together that you’re planning! Check out Mayim’s personal recipe to make this year’s Festival of Lights even brighter.Mayim explains, “Sufganiyot, or jelly doughnuts, are a traditional food eaten for Hanukkah. The holiday falls in the winter and commemorates the miracle of oil that lights the menorah in the Great Temple in Jerusalem lasting for eight days rather than one. Foods fried in oil are thus traditional for this festive winter holiday. This is a recipe I veganized, and although it is labor-intensive, the results are unbelievably delicious.”Hanukkah is a Jewish winter holiday celebrating a military battle and a miracle of oil over 2,000 years ago. Jews eat foods fried in oil during this holiday, and sufganiyot (doughnuts) are enjoyed for the entire eight-day holiday. This veganized recipe makes outrageously light and delicious doughnuts, which can be filled with jam but are also delectable when simply sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar. These doughnuts are best enjoyed the day you make them.

Mayim Bialik’s Vegan Sufganiyot

1/2 cup sugar

1 0.25-oz. envelope active dry yeast

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. warm (about 110°F) soy, rice, or almond milk

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 1/4 tsp.

coarse salt

Egg replacer equivalent of 2 eggs 3 Tbsp.

unsalted vegan margarine, melted and cooled

Nonstick cooking spray

About 6 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling

About 2 cups raspberry jam (optional)

Combine the yeast, sugar, and 1 cup of the warm nondairy milk in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, about 8 minutes. Whisk together the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the yeast mixture, egg replacer, and margarine, and beat until the dough is soft but not sticky, about 3 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the dough to a medium bowl coated with nonstick cooking spray, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down the dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough a few times, and roll out to 1/4-inch thick. Cover with a clean dish towel, and let rest for 5 minutes. Using a 2-inch-diameter cookie cutter, cut out rounds and transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet. Reroll the scraps, and cut out the remaining dough. Cover the rounds with a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot until it reaches 375°F. Place a wire rack on top of parchment paper or on a baking sheet, and line with paper towels or brown paper bags. Working in batches of four or five, add the doughnuts to the hot oil and fry, turning once, until golden and puffed, about 1 minute per side. Using a slotted spoon, place the doughnuts on the paper towels to cool. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Variation: For jam-filled doughnuts, spoon jam into a pastry bag fitted with a plain 3/8-inch tip. Pierce a hole in the side of a doughnut with the tip, and squeeze in jam to fill (the filled doughnut will feel heavy). Note: Be sure to drain well before serving. These doughnuts are best when served immediately, but they can be stored in airtight containers overnight.